How are you dealing with dry eyes?

I had my cataracts removed and my eyes have been blurred since. I now cannot see as well as I could before the procedure. My lenses were not fine tuned enough so rather than remove my distance lens and replace it, I am having a piggy back lense placed on top. It is an easier and safer procedure. I have chronic dry eyes and am worried it may make them worse. The dryness is very painful even though I use ciclosporin eye drops at night and Allogeneic serum drops during the day.

.......have used almost every dry eye drop on the Pharmacy shelt: but currently asm using one new Optometrist sells (in Canada): The bottle says once opened it is ok to use for a year but he said probably 3 months... thing is it is very difficult for me to use. So: I always discard the first drop of any non single use ones, its a habit: then you squeeze one drop each eye and then a small drop stays on and you have to flick it away! However, I must say taht it does not sting my eyes. Not promoting it as I know from first hand experience what works for one person doenst work for the next: this one is called I-DROP PUR. Was around $30 Cdn. Preservative free and stays fresh because of the special applicator bottle... As others, althoug it says Best Before 2028 10, once opened has a different time frame. p.s. I have Normal Tension Glaucoma and Narrow Angles and the Monoprost at night cautions about using with dry eyes: its a lose lose situation for many of us.

@laughlin1947 I got the Systane drops but I find this bottle difficult to dispense. Although it’s full, takes me lots of squeezing to get drop out, so long that my hand has moved and drop doesn’t get into my eye.

@abob
i wish the mfr offered bottles of eyedrops that have droppers like in the good old days. I keep thinking with practice I will get better, but my face b=gets washed with eyedrops far earlier than me getting the drops in my eyes. Maybe a pharmacist wound be helpful with an idea that would help. Thanks for sharing! I need to develop some technique wherein I spread my eyelids apart before releasing a drop. But having the bottle so difficult to dispense is something I have no answer for. Maybe the pharmacist would help.

@joybringer1
I have recently discovered that certain sunscreen ingredients can aggravate eyes, including Octinoxate, which is in the sunscreen I have been using for several years at the recommendation of my dermatologists, the EltaMD UV Clear SPF46 (clear or tinted) for sensitive skin and rosacea-prone skin. The sunscreen has Zinc Oxide and Octinoxate. I stopped using it and my eyes feel quite different! MUCH BETTER! I think that some of the dry eye and/or seasonal pollen allergy characteristics I have had were instead octinoxate allergic aggravation symptoms. The sunscreen is listed as hypoallergenic, but perhaps they only mean that in relation to the skin, not the eyes? I did not put it on the eyelids or skin just below the eyes, but had it everywhere else on my face--close enough to aggravate my eyes obviously. I am now using either Neutrogena SPF70 or Eucerin SPF50 MINERAL sunscreens. When my eyes were first aggravated, my eye dr said to ask my allergist and my allergist said to ask my eye dr. Sigh. Clearly, getting the Vivity EDOF lenses and having the astigmatism corrected, were significant improvements. Both the opthamologist and the cataract surgeon said my eyes didn't show dry eye symptoms to warrant prescription dry eye drops. So I think I have figured out the "sometimes" aggravation symptoms on my own? I now use just IVIZIA or Refresh Plus, both preservative-free, a few times a day/as needed. The Safari online search I did listed Oxybenzone, Avobensone, Octinoxate, and Homosalate as "main culprits" for eye aggravation. I hope this helps!

A few more thoughts: I also like Systane Complete Preservative Free eye drops. And, I have increased the humidity setting on my HVAC heating system; low humidity makes my eyes too dry.

I share similar adverse experiences because of my dry eyes. These are things I found helpful: Since I have turned down heat to 66 degrees from 68, my eyes are less irritated. My humidifiers also helped a lot. I stopped using firming face cream because my eyes were getting more sensitive to sun glare or bright lights and overall discomfort to my eyes. It was a gradual negative effect before I realized the cause of my problems. I use Xiidra every night and also use Thera Tears (over the counter) as needed. I've tried eye warming pads and not sure it's the best application out there. The pads are either too hot or lose warmness too soon.

My eyes hurt at night due to dry eyes. Gen-teal ointment from the drugstore or Walmart works. Since it is an ointment, it will blur your vision, but I only use it nightly.

....just a short note .. have had chronic dry eyes and used just about every type in the pharmacy... and no "cure" for me... but I did buy a "baby humidifier" couple of weeks ago and not a major change and although eyes closed at night unless bathroom trips... I do spend a fair amount of time in my bedroom during day and I "think" eyes not as sore since using, or rather dont get tiny crusts in corners when wake up in am... may be worth a try as our winters house sealed up like a sardine can and dry heat from furnace. Brought the humidity from 15 to 25... anyone else?

Fellow dry eye sufferers, have any of you heard of maqui berry? There have been several research studies showing that it alleviates dry eye symptoms for many, though not all, cases. I had really debilitating dry eye for a year and a half, so bad that I referred to it as "dry eye attacks" where I literally would wonder if I could make it home when driving because my eyes were so irritated. Then I read one of the studies and ordered some maqui berry capsules. I got relief on the very first day I tried it, the first time I've ever experienced that with any type of supplement. Since then I've switched to maqui berry powder; I just mix 1/2 tsp into a half glass of water each morning and drink it down. I haven't had a dry eye attack since 2020 when I first started taking maqui berry.

It's definitely worth a try - a 4 month supply of the powder only runs about $15, and if you try it and it doesn't alleviate your dry eye, it's still really good for you - it has the highest antioxidant levels of all the berries and it's food so no side effects. It even tastes fine, just like an unsweetened berry flavor. You can find it from multiple vendors online - I encourage you to try it! And if you aren't convinced you should, just google "maqui berry for dry eye" and you can read the studies for yourself. If you do try it and it works for you, reply here and let me know. I know how miserable dry eye is and if I can help anyone else find relief it would make me feel good to hear about it!